The Apple Vision Pro headset could be facing a huge problem ahead of launch

A new report has indicated that the vital panels Apple is using in its Vision Pro headset are coming from Sony, but that they can only supply less than a million.

The Elec, a South Korean tech outlet, has reported that the new Vision Pro from Apple might not be as widely available as initially expected.

Announced last week at WWDC, the Vision Pro is Apple’s first hardware foray into mixed reality.

Inside are the display panels, dubbed OLEDoS by Sony, that the Japanese manufacturer can only supply 900, 000 per year.

When it launches, The Elec’s sources claim that Apple won’t be able to ship more than a few hundred thousand headsets. However, some aren’t convinced about the device hitting the masses either way.

OLEDoS is also made in China by a company called SeeYa, but with the ongoing sanctions, Apple might not choose them.

Apple currently relies heavily on Samsung and LG to supply screens for its devices, but LG doesn’t appear to be in the market just yet. Samsung however, provides a different OLEDoS panel that wouldn’t work as a swap-over in the meantime.

It’s suspected, especially with a Vision Pro successor already in the works, that Apple might consider a different type of screen.

Sony rejects Apple’s request to increase production on Vision Pro panels

Apple

According to the sources, Apple did ask Sony to begin expanding production on the OLEDoS screens but refused to do so. Presumably, it’s due to the niche market they’re used in.

The Apple Vision Pro launches in early 2024, and is the first major product release that isn’t a refresh since the Apple Watch in 2015.

Reactions have been mixed about the device, with the price tag being a big sticking point. It is also the CEO, Tim Cook’s first major product that he has overseen. It’ll also be one of the first devices to be designed without the previous lead designer, Jony Ive, on staff.